Tamper-proof packaging bag

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a bag comprising a closing assembly ( 100 ) comprising two complementary elements ( 110, 120 ) supported by respective support webs ( 112, 122 ) integral with a film ( 10 ) at the level of a local zone ( 114, 124 ) distant from the corresponding closing element ( 110, 120 ) to enable articulation of said support webs ( 112, 122 ) on the film ( 10 ), said local zones ( 114, 124 ) being placed on respective ends opposite the webs ( 112, 122 ), respectively on either side of the complementary elements ( 110, 120 ), such that one of the articulated webs ( 112 ) is directed towards the interior of the bag whereas the other articulated web ( 122 ) is directed towards its mouth, characterised in that the support webs ( 112, 122 ) have local overthickness ( 116, 126 ) at the level of their local respective zone ( 114, 124 ) arranged such that a free end of the support webs ( 112, 122 ), which is adjacent to the closing elements ( 110, 120 ), is at a distance from the wall ( 10, 20 ) when the closing assembly ( 100 ) is at rest.

The present invention relates to the field of packaging bags.

More precisely, the present invention relates to the field of packaging bags comprising opening/closing means, for example and not limited to the form of complementary profiles.

Numerous packaging bags and numerous closing assemblies for this purpose have already been proposed.

The majority of closing assemblies known for this purpose comprises two complementary elements, for example of male/female type or pile/hooks type, or even complementary hooks type, supported by respective support webs.

FIG. 1 shows the mouth of a reclosable bag known from document FR-A-2628067.

FIG. 1 shows the two principal walls 10, 20 of the bag at the level of the mouth of the latter. FIG. 1 also shows a closing assembly 100 comprising two complementary closing elements 110, 120 supported by respective webs 112, 122 fixed respectively on the walls 10 and 20.

More precisely, the fixing zones of the support webs 112, 122 on the films 10 and 20 are referenced 114 and 124.

It is evident from FIG. 1 that the fixing zone 114 of the support web 112 on the film 10 is not superposed on the male element 110 but offset relative to the latter. By way of variant this could be offset of the fixing zone 124 of the support web 122 on the film 20 relative to the female element 120. So, the web 112 forming a support to the male element 110 is articulated on the film 10 at the level of the fixing zone 114. A described in document FR-A-2628067, the preceding arrangement avoids the pressure internal to the bag from being applied to the closing elements 110, 120 and tend to separate the latter. In fact, because of the aforementioned arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, separation of the walls 10, 20 of the bag (for opening the latter) leads to possible pivoting of the support web 110 at the level of the hinge zone formed by its fixing, without risk of separation of the closing elements 110, 120.

The bags matching the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 have already been well used. Yet, such bags cannot guarantee definitive closing or at least make reopening of the bag sufficiently difficult to ensure its user that its contents cannot accidentally fall out short of forcing the closing assembly.

The aim of the present invention therefore is to improve the prior art by proposing novel means for improving known closing assemblies so that they further resist internal and external stresses on the walls of the bag.

The above aim is attained within the scope of the present invention by a bag comprising a closing assembly comprising two complementary elements supported by respective support webs integral with a film at the level of a local zone distant from the corresponding closing element to enable articulation of said support webs on the film, said local zones being placed on respective opposite ends of the respective webs on either side of the complementary elements such that one of the articulated webs is directed towards the interior of the bag whereas the other articulated web is directed towards its mouth, characterised in that the support webs have local overthickness at the level of their respective local zone arranged such that a free end of the support webs, which is adjacent to the closing elements, is at a distance from the wall when the closing assembly is at rest.

Some preferred but non-limiting aspects of the bag are the following:

-   -   the support webs are formed by material on a wall the bag;     -   the support webs and the closing assembly are supported by         auxiliary support webs applied to and fixed on the walls of the         bag;     -   the two complementary elements of the closing assembly are of         male/female type;     -   the two complementary elements of the closing assembly each         comprise complementary hooks whereof the concavity is oriented         towards articulation of the web corresponding;     -   the two complementary elements of the closing assembly comprise         complementary male-female closing profiles each fitted at the         level of their free ends with hooks adapted to cooperate with         the associated profile; and     -   the closing assembly is double, such that each web comprises two         complementary elements.

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following detailed description, and with respect to the attached diagrams given by way of non-limiting examples, and in which:

FIG. 1 previously described schematically illustrates the mouth of a bag conforming to the prior art,

FIG. 2 a illustrates a partial sectional view of a first embodiment of a bag according to the present invention, in a closed position and at rest,

FIG. 2 b illustrates a view similar to FIG. 2 a of the same bag, when the walls are stressed on opening,

FIG. 3 a illustrates a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of a bag according to the present invention, in a closed position,

FIG. 3 b illustrates a view similar to FIG. 3 a of the same bag, when the walls are stressed on opening,

FIG. 4 a illustrates a partial sectional view of a third embodiment of a bag according to the present invention, in a closed position,

FIG. 4 b illustrates a view similar to FIG. 4 a of the same bag, when the walls are stressed on opening, and

FIG. 5 illustrates a partial sectional view of a third embodiment of a bag according to the present invention, in a closed position.

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate a bag according to the present invention, showing two main films 10, 20 conventionally comprising per se a bag. The particular modalities of such a bag, in its general structure, will not be described in detail hereinbelow.

The walls 10, 20 of the bag can form the subject matter of numerous embodiments.

They are preferably walls made of thermoplastic material.

These walls 10, 20 can be mono- or multilayer and mono- or multi-material. In appropriate, they can be a paper support coated in a layer of thermoplastic materials, or even a metallised thermoplastic layer.

The bag can be made from a single sheet folded back on itself and welded on three sides, or sheets, for example two sheets welded together at the level of their edges, preferably according to ridges connecting the principal walls.

FIGS. 2 to 5 also show a closing assembly 100 comprising at least two complementary closing elements 110, 120.

In its general structure, such a closing assembly 100 is known per se and therefore will not be described in detail hereinbelow. It can be closing elements 100 of complementary hooks type (FIGS. 2 a, 2 b), male female (FIGS. 3 to 5), etc.

The elements 110, 120 of the closing assembly 100 are each supported by a support web 112, 120 articulates on a wall 10, 20 of the bag.

According to the embodiments represented in the figures, the articulated web supports 112, 122 are formed by material, more precisely extrusion, on the wall 10 of the bag and connected to the latter in zones referenced 114 and 124 respectively.

By way of variant, articulated web supports 112, could be supported by auxiliary webs applied to the walls 10, 20 and fixed thereon by any appropriate means, preferably by thermal welding.

It is noted that the joining zones 114, 124 between the articulated web supports 112, 122 and the walls 10, 20 of the bag do not coincide with the joining zones 111, 121 of the foot of the element 110, 120 on the articulated webs 112, 122. Instead, the local zones 114, 124 are placed on respective opposite ends of the webs 112, 120 (on the internal faces of the walls 10, 20), respectively on either side of the complementary elements 110, 120.

The local zone 114 of one of the articulated webs 112 is preferably adjacent to the mouth of the bag such that the web 112 is directed towards the interior of the bag, whereas the local zones 124 of the other articulated web 120 is adjacent to the base of the bag such that the web 122 is directed towards its mouth. The articulations of the local zones 114, 124 are therefore distant from each other.

Due to the above described arrangements, as is evident from FIGS. 2 b and 3 b, when the closing elements 110, 120 are engaged and stressed apart, the support webs 112, 122 pivot at the level of their respective local zone 114, 124 and tend to align relative to one another, whether the stressing of the webs 112, 122 is internal (due to the bulk of the contents of the bag) or external (due to the action of the user on the mouth, etc.).

The opening of the bag is therefore made more difficult, to the extent where the transversal stress exerted by the walls 10, 20 is damped by the articulation of the support webs 112, 122 which tend in the first instance to move apart the closing elements 110, 120 of the walls 10, 20, then secondly play a role of hinge and transform the forces undergone by the closing elements 110, 120 into shearing forces.

The articulation of the support webs 112, 122 on the wall 10, 20 of the bag is further improved when at least one of the support webs 112, 122 has local overthickness 116, 126 at the level of the zone 114, 124 respectively, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 a to 5, arranged such that the free end of the support webs 112, 122, which is adjacent to the closing elements 110, 120, is at a distance from the wall 10, 20 when the closing assembly 100 is not stressed and is at rest. The principal axis of extension of the support webs 112, 122 is therefore offset relative to the wall 10, 20.

It is evident that this embodiment of support webs 112, 122 boosts the hinge effect linked to their articulation on the walls 10, 20. In fact, it relaxes the free part of the support webs 112, 122, in particular in the zone of the webs 112, 122 extending between the local overthickness 116, 126 and the closing element 110, 120, the consequence of which is to facilitate the elastic deformation of the support webs 112, 122 in this zone and therefore further dampen the effects of internal or external stress.

Each of the support webs 112, 122 preferably has such local overthickness 116, 126 so as to optimise the hinge effect of the closing assembly 100.

According to an embodiment, illustrated in particular in FIGS. 2 b, 3 b and 4 b, resistance to shearing is further improved by using a double closing element 100, typically two assemblies of complementary hooks 110 a, 110 b, 120 a, 120 b (FIGS. 2 a and 2 b), two male-female assemblies 110 a, 110 b, 120 a, 120 b (FIGS. 3 a and 3 b or FIGS. 4 a and 4 b), or an assembly of complementary hooks associated with a male-female closing assembly (not illustrated in the figures), etc.

In fact, using a closing assembly merely creates at the level of contact between the closing means supplementary articulation which undergoes the effect of a lever arm due to the support webs 112, 122. Instead, using at least two closing assemblies 110, 120 cancels out this supplementary articulation and rigidifies the closing of the bag, making it even more difficult to open the bag, irrespective of the interior or the exterior.

In the variant embodiment of FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, the use of complementary hooks 110 a, 110 b, 120 a, 120 b further reinforces the difficulty of opening the bag when the concavity of the hooks is oriented towards the articulation of the associated support web. In fact, and as is evident in particular in FIG. 2 a, when the webs are stressed by separation, for example by internal pressure, the hooks 110 a, 110 b, 120 a, 120 b tend to move horizontally by reinforcing their mutual engagement: the more the hooks are oriented horizontally, the more they hook into each other.

The result is a tamper-proof bag in normal conditions of use.

As is evident in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, the profiles 110 a, 110 b, 120 a, 120 b of the male-female assemblies can also be fitted at the level of their ends with hooks so as to better grip the associated profile. Typically, the male profile can have the form of a V-shaped gutter whereof the free ends are curved back towards the interior and are adapted to engage with curved hooks towards the exterior placed on the corresponding free ends of the complementary female profile.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described, but extends to all variants in keeping with its essence.

In the attached FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the articulated web support 112 bears the male closing element 110. As a variant, the articulated web 112 could bear the female element 120.

De preference, in the cadre of the present invention, the closing assemblies 100 and the articulated webs 112, 122 are made of thermoplastic material.

Also, as needed, the closing assembly 100 is associated with a cursor facilitating opening/closing.

Such a cursor is known per se in its general structure and accordingly will not be described in further detail hereinbelow. It is known that such a cursor generally comprises a sole which bears two lateral fabrics and a central partition defining two non-parallel channels respectively taking up at least the apex of one of the two support webs of the closing or wall assemblies 10, 20, such that according to the direction of displacement of the cursor, the latter stresses the closing assemblies 100 respectively on opening and closing. 

1. A bag comprising a closing assembly (100) comprising two complementary elements (110, 120) supported. by respective support webs (112, 122) integral with a film (10) at the level of a local zone (114, 124) distant from the corresponding closing element (110, 120) to enable articulation of said support webs (112, 122) on the film (10), said local zones (114, 124) being placed on respective opposite ends of the webs (112, 122), respectively on either side of the complementary elements (110, 120) such that one of the articulated webs (112) is directed towards the interior of the bag whereas the other articulated web (122) is directed towards its mouth, characterised in that the support webs (112, 122) have local overthickness (116, 126) at the level of their local respective zone (114, 124) arranged. such that a free end. of the support webs (112, 122), which is adjacent to the closing elements (110, 120), is at a distance from the wail (10, 20) when the closing assembly (100) is at rest.
 2. The bag as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support webs (112, 122) are made of material on a wall (10) of the bag.
 3. The bag as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the support webs (112, 122) and the closing assembly (100) are supported by support auxiliary webs (150, 160) applied to and fixed on the walls (10, 20) of the bag.
 4. The bag as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the two complementary elements (110, 120) of the closing assembly are of male/female type.
 5. The bag as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the two complementary elements (110, 120) of the closing assembly each comprise complementary hooks whereof the concavity is oriented towards the articulation of the corresponding web.
 6. The bag as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the two complementary elements (110, 120) of the closing assembly comprise complementary male-female closing profiles, each fitted at the level of its free ends with hooks adapted to cooperate with the associated profile.
 7. The bag as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the closing assembly (100) is double, such that each web (112, 122) comprises two complementary elements (110, 120). 